The present invention relates generally to a method of playing the game of pai gow poker, and more particularly to a method of playing a game of pai gow poker in which ties or a push bet between a respective player and a dealer do not occur.
Disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,584,486 (Franklin) is a pai gow poker game with an additional jackpot wager. As disclosed therein, the usual game of pai gow poker in a casino setting is played by a dealer dealing each player (preferably six) and the dealer seven cards. Each player then arranges the seven cards into a two-card (Low) hand and a five card (High) hand, as does the dealer thereafter. Each player wagers an ante bet against the dealer. This ante bet is: won if both the respective Low hand and the High hand have a poker rank greater than the respective poker ranks of the Low hand and High hand of the dealer; lost if both the respective Low hand and the High hand have a poker rank less than the respective poker ranks of the Low hand and High hand of the dealer; and pushed if only one of the respective Low hand and the High hand has a poker rank greater than the respective poker ranks of the Low hand and High hand of the dealer. In this game, ties go to the dealer, and a joker is used in the play which can be used as an ace or to complete a straight or flush.
According to the improved method of play of pai gow in U.S. Pat. No. 5,584,486, an additional jackpot wager is optionally made by each player. The player wins this jackpot wager at odds when the Low hand and High hand together have a predetermined value (such as a pair and straight, or higher High hand). The odds increase in view of the rarity of the possible two hands, up to, for example, 50,000/1 for five aces and a pair.
Another popular modification of the pai gow poker game has been played at xe2x80x9cHarvey""s Resort and Casinoxe2x80x9d in Tahoe, Nev. In this modified game, a bonus bet is made (in addition to the ante bet in the usual game for the five-card hand and two-card hand ranks to be compared with those of the dealer). This bonus bet is won at odds if the player has any five cards (or best poker hand) which together rank above a straight (with the odds increasing for increasingly ranked hands). In addition, if a player makes a bonus bet above $5, that player can additionally win a predetermined payoff if any other player has any five cards which together form a poker rank above four of a kind (with the payoff increasing for increasingly ranked hands).
While such pai gow games are entertaining and useful in the gaming industry to increase interest and betting, the presence of push bets wastes time and effort of the casino.
In accordance with the present invention, a method of playing a pai gow poker game with wagers between a group of respective players and a dealer whose outcome is determined by randomly generated playing cards having various ranks and suits is provided. In this method, an ante bet is wagered by each respective player against the dealer. Seven cards are then dealt to each player and the dealer, and a single player tiebreaker card is dealt for all players and a single dealer tiebreaker card is dealt to the dealer. The seven cards dealt to each player are then arranged by that player into a two-card hand and a five-card hand, as are the seven cards dealt to the dealer by the dealer. The ante bet of each player is then paid off to: (a) the respective player if both the two-card hand and the five-card hand of the player have a higher poker rank than the respective two-card hand and five-card hand of the dealer, (b) the dealer if both the two-card hand and the five-card hand of the player have a lower poker rank than the respective two-card hand and five-card hand of the dealer, (c) the respective player if only one of the two-card hand and five-card hand of the player has a higher poker rank than the respective two-card hand and five-card hand of the dealer, and if the single player tiebreaker card has a higher value than the single dealer tiebreaker card, or (d) the dealer if only one of the two-card hand and five-card hand of the player has a higher poker rank than the respective two-card hand and five-card hand of the dealer, and if the single player tiebreaker card has a lower value than or value equal to the single dealer tiebreaker card.
In a preferred embodiment, the playing cards are a standard deck, and the paying off step includes the step of valuing a value of each single tiebreaker card by rank from higher to lower of ace to 2. In addition, a joker playing card is included as a playing card in the standard deck, and the joker is usable as an ace or as a fill-in card for straights and flushes in the two-card hands and five-card hands, and is considered as an ace for the single tiebreaker card.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a pai gow poker game which avoids ties so that the house draw is increased and the game moves faster.
Other features and advantages of the present invention are stated in or apparent from detailed descriptions of presently preferred embodiments of the invention found hereinbelow.